Archive for the ‘World class products’ Category

A new supplier got more than they bargained for this week when Apollo Blinds turned up mob handed to inspect products that we are thinking about stocking early next year.

As well as hosting all the key decision makers from head office, a number of our franchise owners were invited to the supplier meeting to give their feedback on the products.

It sounds obvious but our franchise owners are the ones who sell the products so their attendance was vital to give valuable input in deciding if we were going to go ahead and carry these new products.

And, as we expected, the franchise teams that descended on Chester from all over the UK gave an expert appraisal of the products lines.

It was fascinating to watch them in action inspecting the products in fine detail and asking very searching questions. It made us realise just how much knowledge we have within Apollo Blinds and this is one key of the reasons why we stand alone in the marketplace.

Product development is just one of the areas where we continually consult our Apollo Blinds franchise owners as part of our commitment to being the best company we can be.

It’s always fascinating to spend time talking to the people who attend our Discovery Days and find out why they are considering becoming part of our franchise network.

We thought we’d heard everything in meetings with people from all walks of life but one fella we met on Tuesday stood out.

To say this guy’s CV was impressive is an understatement. He has been a big hitter in corporate telecoms and has set up huge operations in Europe, Asia and America.

So it did rather beg the question why Apollo Blinds? He said he was coming back to the UK to be with family and saw the way the wind was blowing with the UK economy and realised window blinds was his opportunity. This, he explained, was because whatever the state of the housing market homeowners will always need blinds. If homeowners don’t move they improve and if they do they make their new home their own.

He also explained that the strength of the brand and the quality of the products (see pics) was what sets Apollo Blinds from national and local competitors. And that’s why he was talking to us.

We can’t deny it was music to our ears but we also saw it as a huge compliment to our network of Apollo people all over the UK. Our teams have already recognised the opportunity to build prosperous businesses with us to help homeowners right across the UK make their homes beautiful with affordable window blinds from Apollo.

This week our newest franchise owner has had all his expectations realised as to why he joined Apollo Blinds rather than setting up his own independent blinds company.

Neil Redpath, who owns Apollo Blinds Lancaster, has only been trading a couple of weeks but he’s been racking up the orders – even in the face of stiff competition – and it’s all because of one simple thing.

He is using our customer care pack as the vanguard of his sales strategy and it’s the first thing he shows every customers. The pack covers the guarantee on all our products, advice on how to maintain our blinds and details of all the safety features available – which are of particular interest in homes where children play or visit.

And simply by showing them the pack first, Neil is securing orders because customers are so impressed with the level of professionalism of his franchise company in comparison to local independent companies and they want the peace of mind that only a brand like Apollo Blinds can offer.

It’s such a simple but powerful example of why Apollo blinds stands out from the crowd.

Earlier this week our GM asked the Apollo team one very simple question: why do people deal with Apollo Blinds?

As you’d expect the suggestions came thick and fast, and it wasn’t long before we had a lengthy list which covered all aspects of the business. And, after some serious pruning, we produced a list which encapsulates everything that’s good about Apollo Blinds.

After the exercise we all walked out of Gary’s office about three feet taller and bursting with pride. It was such a simple but effective way of stepping back and reminding ourselves of all the reasons why our customers (our network of franchise owners) and our customer’s customers (homeowners) keep buying Apollo products.

Take a look at our list for yourself and it’s easy to see why Apollo Blinds puts other in the shade.

2 – 5 year guarantee (depending on product )
Wider product range than any competitor
Exclusive products
Part of Hunter Douglas Group
More than 97% of stock availability
One of top three recognised brands in the UK
Leading edge design
National brand for consumer peace of mind
Established for almost 40 years
National brand, local service
Our franchise network conveys a professional image
World class products
British manufacturer
Innovative products
Hand made made-to-measure products
Expertise of service
Friendliness of service – consultative approach
Flexible Payment terms
£1m of stock
Comply with all safety standards
Child safety is paramount
Best blinds offering best value